Shop & Collect: the smart way to shop at airports?
Is Shop & Collect the smartest way to make the most of airport shopping?
Want to go shopping before take off but no room in your luggage? Many airports now offer free Shop & Collect services so you can buy before you fly and pick up purchases on your way home.
I’ve just come back from holiday, and while adopting my usual 'cabin bags' only policy meant I saved money on hold luggage, the downside was I was reduced to window shopping at duty free.
As anyone who travels with budget airlines and opts for the 'cabin bags only’ route knows, you’re restricted by those 100ml liquid limits in your hand luggage. While you can stock up and buy perfume, spirits or bubbly on your way out of the country, unless you use or drink the stuff before you return, you can’t bring bottles over 100ml back in.
And even if you’ve paid for room in the hold, or been given a free luggage allowance as part of a package deal, carting bottles around, ensuring they don’t break on the flight and even packing them in your suitcase for the return journey can be a risky business.
Plus if you’re thinking of buying electronics at the airport, like a new laptop, a brand new big ticket item may not be covered by your travel insurance if you later lose it, or are unlucky enough to have it stolen on holiday.
So letting the airport look after your shopping could prove the safest and easiest option all round.
Where can you Shop & Collect?
Lots of airports offer these free Shop & Collect services but they’re only available for flights to the EU, so you can’t take advantage of this if you’re flying further afield, like a trip to the States.
With most airports these services cover pretty much anything you buy in the airport once you’re ‘airside’. So that can mean the chance to stock up on electronics, perfume, cigarettes, spirits, wine and champagne.
The only snag is that while you don’t pay for the service, you’ve got to remember to collect your shopping on your way back. If you don’t, the cost of a courier or return trip to the airport can outweigh any duty free savings!
I’ve checked out a few airport ‘Shop & Collect’ services and they’re not all the same, so it's worth asking a few questions before you buy.
At Manchester airport, its ‘Collect on Return’ service is available for purchases at all stores across all terminals, and it’s the same story with Stansted’s 'Shop & Collect’ and Gatwick’s ‘Shop Fly Collect’ service.
However at Bristol Airport its ‘Collect on Return’ service is only available from Dixons and the World Duty Free store.
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How do you collect your goods?
Once you’ve bought and paid for them, your purchases are whisked away ready for collection after you’ve passed through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs.
You’ll need your original receipt to hand, though in some cases you may also be given a special receipt for collection.
If you’ve managed to lose your receipt, all is not lost. At Manchester for example they’ll ask you questions about your purchases to verify they’re yours before handing them over, even if you don’t have the receipt.
It's worth checking before buying if collection points are open round the clock. In some cases, if you’re on a late flight, or one that gets delayed, it could prove time consuming and expensive to collect purchases.
The collection point in Gatwick’s South Terminal is open 24/7 but the one in its North Terminal is only open from 5am through to 10pm. This means if your flight is due to arrive later, or is late, you’ll need to make a trip to the South Terminal to collect your shopping. While it’s not far, and clearly signposted, it could prove an unwelcome hassle after a long or delayed flight.
At Manchester collection points close at 11pm which can mean a return trip for collection, or paying for postage or courier, while others like Stansted and Bristol have their collection desks open 24/7.
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What happens if you forget to collect?
Anyone who’s used the service at Gatwick gets a reminder text message on the day of their arrival.
But if you do forget, it can mean a trip back to the airport, although some airports will arrange for items to be sent to you for an additional fee. However refunds can’t be given on forgotten goods, due to customs regulations.
Alternatively larger items may be sent via courier for a fee, which once again depends on their weight and size.
In most cases goods may be disposed of after six months if you fail to collect or get in touch to make any arrangements for collection or delivery.
Have you used an airport's Shop & Collect service? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments box below
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What does an EHIC really cover?
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